Lights and Dark Nights

[morphix]

I just finally bought some lights for my bike. Been pushing my luck riding without any until the last week what with it getting darker earlier and earlier. Anyway I left it to the last minute and so decided to get this cheap LED front and rear set off eBay for £3. Anyone else got some? I wasn't expecting much but they're not bad at all. They have loads of different flashing settings and run off 4xAAA and 2xAAA batteries. Everyone I pass on the road seems to have the same lights so they must be selling like sliced bread on eBay!

The mounting fixtures are rubbish and snapped when putting the lights on, so I ended up super-gluing the lights on onto them. However since they are only light-weight, it's not caused any problem. They're by no means the type that will illuminate the pavement much but they're certainly very bright and let cars and people see you coming.

I'm actually loving riding in the dark evenings. Cruising the quieter roads in the autumn dusk with all the different sights and smells. It's a whole new experience for me as I've only been cycling since March. I think once the roads start getting icy and frosty I will stop using my bike for work over the winter. I will miss using it daily but I don't want to risk having an accident.

Apart from the horrendous wind we been getting some days, the weather is quite mild isn't it for the time of year..still getting some nice sunny cycling days out.

 

[eddieo]

after the recent spate of cyclists being rear ended and killed, I am after the best rear light available...Any recommendations please?

 

[kitchenman]

I'm getting ready for the winter commute:


Also I am starting to think about a flag as many recumbent riders have them. I'm thinking orange (to match my paint work) with an orange monkey logo:

 

[tillson]

after the recent spate of cyclists being rear ended and killed, I am after the best rear light available...Any recommendations please?

I have no hesitation in recommending these rear lights eddio. They are very well made and very bright. the set comes with battery and charger and works out to just under £40 delivered.

You wouldn't want anything brighter than this. Pointed directly into the flow of traffic it would be dangerously bright. You can point it down towards the road a bit to "trim" the brightness to a level that you think appropriate.

It's good in low visibility conditions such as mist and fog. Just point it upwards towards the traffic a bit more and it really penetrates into the mist!

 

[eddieo]

Hmmm......Being mistaken for a low flying UFO is some what appealing!

 

[Scottyf]

Might be worth getting some reflective stripes as well for clothing or bags / panniers.
Some people still dont see and I'm wearing a night vision jackets (Bright yellow high visual thing from Altura) and have all the normal flashing lights on the front and rear.

Even when they do see me they sometimes mis-judge the speed.


I keep thinking of switching over to a disk front to help the stopping power when the rims get all mucky.
I will keep on the look out on ebay to find a cheap wheel thats disk ready.

Few and far between for a 700c wheel =-(

 

[hihihi]

how about this attachment...

 

[Trevor Holloway]

I have four sets of these LED type lights (Asaklitt Mini White and Red LED Lights.) on each end of the bike, plus relective / flashing wrist and ankle bands.
My daughter is embarrassed at what I look like with them all flashing !

 

[indalo]

My daughter is embarrassed at what I look like with them all flashing !

It can't be very nice to have people refer to you as a flasher but hey!......if it keeps you alive...?

Indalo

 

[Trevor Holloway]

It wouldn't be a case of "Sorry, I did not see you !" rather "Sorry, I was blinded by the lights !"

 

[mike killay]

What we really need beside adequate brightness in a rear lamp is something that slides out sideways about 18 inches with the lamp on the end of it, so that the bike appears wider than it is.
Ps. Does anyone know if flashing blue lights are illegal on non motor vehicles?
Maybe flashing purple would do the trick?

 

[yselmike]

flashing purple may get you arrested flashing blue defiantly will.

 

[mikep]

I have just bought one of these to fit on the rear rack:

B + M Toplight Line senso at a low price in the online bike shop www.rosebikes.com

as I needed a rear reflector as well.

Initial thoughts are that it produses an acceptably bright red beam across the width of the light and also down over the reflector; rather than a high intensity single source of light. I've left it on the "senseo" automatic setting so it should switch on whenever needed.

Because my helmet has an inbuilt red flashing light, I think that any extra solution to maintaining visibility from the rear needs to be some form of luminous strip on the panniers. Has anyone found a suitable product that easily attaches to the panniers?

 

[eTim]

Just got one of these and it's really bright with a cool disco function:

Buy Smart Lunar R2 Rear Light at Tredz Bikes. £13.99 with free UK delivery

I bought mine from Halfrauds for £25 but they currently have a 3 for 2 offer on across different items so got two and a pump so it brings the price back inline with online

 

[funkylyn]

What we really need beside adequate brightness in a rear lamp is something that slides out sideways about 18 inches with the lamp on the end of it, so that the bike appears wider than it is.
Ps. Does anyone know if flashing blue lights are illegal on non motor vehicles?
Maybe flashing purple would do the trick?

Good idea.......and purple is my favourite colour......so lets know when you find one

Lynda

 

[kitchenman]

Good idea.......and purple is my favourite colour......so lets know when you find one

Lynda

My "side table" has that effect. Even though its virtually in line with the bar ends it still makes the bike seem wider .. Vehicles seem to be giving me an even wider berth which is great! .. will think about adding some lighting ...

 

[NRG]

I do despair for some some cyclist, spotted a guy with his bike tonight dressed in a dark overcoat, no lights on his bike, no reflectors anywhere and very difficult to see...luckily he was pushing the bike over a crossing and not riding it otherwise I would have feared the worst....he did have a helmet on though!

 

[eTim]

My "side table" has that effect. Even though its virtually in line with the bar ends it still makes the bike seem wider .. Vehicles seem to be giving me an even wider berth which is great! .. will think about adding some lighting ...
View attachment 2846

Starship Enterprise springs to mind !

 

[steve.c]

The experiance I have had with lights of this price is that they fail/fall apart very quickly and after it rains thats it? and you cant see anything with them very well????.

 

[eddieo]

Just got one of these and it's really bright with a cool disco function:

Buy Smart Lunar R2 Rear Light at Tredz Bikes. £13.99 with free UK delivery

I bought mine from Halfrauds for £25 but they currently have a 3 for 2 offer on across different items so got two and a pump so it brings the price back inline with online

Thanks Tim, Just bought 2 of these for myself and my son...Was going for the star ship enterprise of rear lights that Tillson recommended, but while a formidable looking bit of kit it was more expensive and from USA....